Little Falls transcript. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1876-1894, 1887-08-19
Something breathing on my neck'
It is because of our rapid pace. z rs
But it is on the back Of my neck.

Something breathing on my neck!''
cit is because Of our rapid pace. 2
But it is on the back OF my neck.
1 UGH" 81 B a.
1T must be your Imagination.
II dare say. There it is again; ugh!
ughH' 4:.y. s.
By singular coincidence Billups's
horse plunged violently forward just
at this juncture. May pushed on to
overtake him, and down the road
they dashed at q tearing gallop. A
negro man, standing for shelter under
9 broad, spreading oak, heard the
mad CHATTER of approaching hoofs.
Such pace was nothing to wonder at
on such anight, but what surprised
him was that, as they passed him a
vivid flash of lightning showed that
the horseman who was slightlyin the
rear was tanning the neck Of his lead
er with his SLOUGH hat. The figure of
the man in front was bowed over the
pummel OF his saddle while the coun-
tenance of the man with the hat wore
a grin OF diabolical Joy.
Down the road the two riders thun-
dered, without word, for mile. At
last May said: "Thank heaven the
on my neck!'
"But it is after mel" roared the
doubter.
ut is nothing but imagination, :"
shouted May to his companion, now
ten yards in advance. At this distance
apart they ratified on for a. quarter
of a mile. The breathings had ceased,
and Billups was beginning to slacken
his pace, when a cry from May froze
his blood: "Unhand me, fiend!"
yelled the advocate, in q voice that
wranglers at the bar alone can give;
and with few mighty bounds his
horse was almost abreast of that of
the skeptic. "Unhand me!'' he cried
again.
Why I cannot say, but Billups did
not ask him to explain the cause of
this singular outcry. He contented
himself with ramming the spurs into
the TANKS OF his foaming stead.
Presently a fash came, and my be.
Plated wayfarer standing by the road
might have seen by it's light the cold
dripping fingers OF the rearmost rider
defending with a snap upon the neck
of him in front. "As though two lei
cles bit you," is the way BiIlups speaks
OF the occurrence to this day.
1t would be g. mockery to describe
what occurred afterward at a "con-
versation" between these two gentle
men. Lightning: thunder, the roar OF
hOofs, torrents Uf rain pouring down,
torrents of mud bounding into the air
and at last a catastrophe.
The maddened horses had reached
a little brook somewhat swollen by
the rain. Mays animal cleared it at
one brave bound, but there was
trouble OF some sort with Billups in
the pitchy dark. A confused muir
muir of snortings and pawings and
gruntings struck upon Mays ear, and
he refined in his horse. A flash came
and revealed to him Billups, the
charger, and an enormous sow wal
lowing together in the stream in an
inextricable tangle. Presently the
horse was heard gallopingup the road.
May fished out his friend and dragged
him ashore.
'Thank heaven, they won't cross
running water" said he to the wretch
ed scorner OF supernatural things.
And every now and then, as she
bounded through a neighboring wood,
there came back from the terrified
SOW an indignant ':Reo! boo!" in pro-
test against such unheard of and un-
@warranted proceedings.-J. l.. w.